Falkirk 3 - 2 Ross County: Bairns drop to League One despite battling win

They may not be the mighty but it’s still one heck of a fall for Falkirk who were condemned to play in the third tier of Scottish football for the first time in nearly 40 years despite this spirited victory over champions Ross County. Going into this game they knew that salvation wasn’t within their hands, and fate served up the final blow as Alloa, the only club they could realistically overtake to avoid automatic relegation, got the point they needed to slam the door in their faces.

Falkirk manager Ray McKinnon looks dejected at full-time. Pic: SNS/Bruce White

It’s wounding blow for a club that only four years ago were in the Scottish Cup final and just two seasons back were within sight of the Premiership as they battled it out with Kilmarnock in the play-off final. But though they prevailed in this game with a stirring fightback, the fact is they started this season in abysmal fashion with six straight league defeats and only sporadically seemed to gain the momentum necessary to secure survival despite bringing in Ray McKinnon as manager in controversial circumstances last September.

Even then the margin of failure was just about as narrow as you could get. It all came down to goal difference as they finished level on points with Queen of the South, but the Dumfries club are the ones heading for the play-offs. “It’s been a very difficult day,” said McKinnon. “We knew we had to win the game and the boys dug in and fought. But ultimately it’s not been enough.”

“You’ve seen the support and the stadium and the infrastructure here – everything’s great. But we got relegated in the early part of the season, only picking up 13 points in 19 games. It was a very tough season – every game was must-win. The players battled but ultimately we just lacked a wee bit of quality. There’s now got to be a two year plan to get this club challenging for the Premiership again.”

His men certainly gave it their best shot yesterday. They took the initiative with Aaron Jarvis sending a downward header bouncing off the post after nine minutes. Then just before the half hour mark Zak Rudden slid the ball into the net to give the Bairns the lead after his initial shot struck the upright.

Only after this did County stir out of their post-title languor. Soon they were creating chances thick and fast, so much so that they contrived to miss a trio of sitters before the break with Ross Stewart – twice – and Brian Graham the culprits.

It was however merely a stay of execution for the hosts, with Graham and Stewart atoning for their profligacy by combining for the latter to head home the equaliser after 58 minutes. Though Falkirk continued to battle, it seemed to be game up.

And that verdict seemed confirmed as a knock down by Graham – who had escaped with just a yellow card after an off the ball incident with Ciaran McKenna – was latched on to by the onrushing Iain Vigurs who swept the ball into the net to put County ahead. This however was simply the firing of the starting gun on a bonkers four minutes of fun which saw Falkirk remarkably turn it around again with goals from a McKenna header and then a zipping drive from Jordan McGhee.

The home support awaited news of Ayr doing them favour by getting a winner against Alloa but it never came. Chants of that familiar refrain from fans of all struggling clubs – “Sack the Board” – rang round the ground as the curtain came down on a sadly ignominious campaign for the Bairns.